healy



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- O. L. HEALY.

PRINTING TELEGRAPH.

No. 333,298. PatentedjDec. 29, 1885'.

(No Mddel. 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. 0. L HEALY;

PRINTING TELEGRAPH N0.333,298. v Patented 1390.29, 1885'.

I I I I N- PEYERS. PMwl-ilhngnpher. Wahinglon, 1Q

UNITED STATES PATENT EEIcE.

CLARENCE L. HEALY, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO STEPHEN D. FIELD, OFYONKERS, NEW YORK.

PRINTING-TELEGRAPH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 333,298, dated December29, 1885.

Application filed September 4, 1885. Serial No. 176,157. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE L HEALY, of Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Printing-Telegraphs, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, and will enable those skilled in the artto which they appertain tomake and use the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings.

Theseimprovements relate generally to that class of printing-telegraphsin which one or more revolving type-wheels bearing the requisitecharacters are used, with mechanism for pressing a ribbon or strip ofpaper upon the characters; and the improvements relate particularly tothe circuits which run to the printers and which are provided with keysor other similar means for closing them and establishing the press orprinting currents.

It has been customary for the operator to hold the keys of thepress-circuits closed during such time as is necessary for the press orprinting mechanism to fully act; but it is found that this is verydifficult to properly do, and particularly when high speed is required,experience showing that the circuit will be held closed too long, andthus time will be wasted, or that the circuit will not beheld closedlong enough, and the press devices will act only feebly and thereby failto print or printvery poorly.

The object of the invention, therefore, is to provide means which willact independently of the operator who puts them into action, to hold thepress circuit or circuits closed the requisite time to effect the properoperation of the press devices, and will then break such circuit orcircuits.

The invention consists in a mechanical lock, which is connected with thecircuit-closing key of a press-circuit and is arranged to lock or holdthe circuit closed when the key is re leased, and an electro-magnetconnected with the press-circuit and operating to open or disconnectsaid lock and thereby break the circuit.

Figure 1 shows a simple form of lock embodying the invention, which lookis connected with a key andis located directly in a presscircuit of aprinting-telegraph. Fig. 2shows the key-boards and transmittingmechanism of a printing-telegraph, which transmitting mechanism isprovided with looking mechanism embodying the invention, this form oftransmitting mechanism being arranged to work the type and pressmechanism of the printers through a single circuit. Fig. 3 shows thesame mechanism arranged to work separate type and press-circuits. Fig. 4shows the press-circuit part of another form of transmitting mechanism,which is provided with a lock embodying the invention. Other forms oftransmitting mechanism are possible, but

.these views suffice to illustrate the application of the invention.

In Fig. 1, A represents the press-circuit, which is connected with thelatch or spring B and runs through the magnet O and to the armature-armD of the magnet. The arma ture-arm is provided with a catch, E, and hasa spring, F, by which it can be made to respond more or less slowly tothe attraction of its magnet. The magnet also is constructed to actrather slowly. G is a key bearing upon the spring, but, preferably, isnot fastened thereto, though, manifestly, it might form a partof eitherthe latch or spring B or of the armaturearm D. When it is desired toclose the press circuit to effect the printing of a character in theprinting-instruments to which it runs, the key is depressed and therebycauses-the spring to be caught and held by the catch on the armature-armand the circuit to be made. The magnet receives its full charge a shorttime after the circuit has been made, and when the press mechanism ofthe printers has operated, and thereupon draws the armature arm awayfrom the spring and breaks the circuit. It will be seen that by thisdevice the duration of the presscurrent is automatically regulated andindependently of the operator who makes the circuit. He has but to closethe circuit, and upon so doing he may at once release his hold upon thekey or other device that is manipulated to close the circuit, as thefurther operation of the circuit is done independently of him. This notonly makes the printing certain and uniform, but it also results in again in the speed of transmitting news, for

the requirements of skill are lessened and the operator is freed fromresponsibilities that heretofore have acted to retard rapid and accuratemanipulation.

In Fig. 2, H is a transmitting apparatus driven by any suitable powerand arranged to send rapidly alternating currents to the typewheelmagnets I of the printers, the pressmagnet J being slow in action andnot capable of responding to such currents. K is a ratchwheel on thesame shaft as the transmitter, and its pawl L carries the armature ofthe electro-magnet IWI, which is in the circuit leading to the printersand is constructed so as not to be operated by the typecurrents. arotating-arm driven from the transmittershaft and movingjust below thekeys (only one of which is shown) of the key-board P. The'transmitter isdriven at a speed such as prevents the pawl L engaging with theratchwheel K. WVhen, however, it is desired to prolong a currentsufficiently long to operate the press-magnets, the key representing thecharacter to be printed is depressed and the arm N is arrested by thatkey with the corresponding notch in the wheel K directly under the pawlL, which thereupon is drawn into such notch and holds the transmitterindef, pendently of the key that arrested it, the operator being free torelease the key the instant the arm N is arrested. The current that isthus prolonged first charges and causes the press-magnet to operate, andimmediately alter the printing has been effected the ratchmagnet becomesfully charged and releases the transmitter by withdrawing the pawl, thusinterrupting the press-current and reestablishing the type currents.

In Fig. 3: the last-described mechanism is shown as arranged to workseparate type and press lines. The magnet Q is arranged in thetype-circuit and is not responsive to the typecurrents, and the pawlmagnet M is located in a local circuit which contains the pressrclay R,and is controlled .by the magnet Q. Whenthe transmitter is arrested,thesustained type-current brings magnet Q into action and closes the localcircuit and the press-circuit, and after the local circuit has been heldclosed long enough to insure the proper action of the press mechanism,the pawl-magnet acts to release the transmitter as before.

In Fig. 4 the transmitter shaft is arrested through the medium of asunflower, S, on it, a clutch-magnet, T, connected therewith, and shortelectric circuits connecting the N is.

clutch-magnet with the keys of the key-board. When a key is depressedand the revolving arm of the sun-flower closes that circuit, theclutch-arm U of the clutch-magnet arrests the transmitter, and a dog, V,is drawn under its outer end, thus holding the transmitter independentlyof the key-board. The clutch also acts to close a local relaycircuit, W,which controls the press-circuit and contains a slowly-acting magnet, X,that comes into action in time to Withdraw the dog V after the printingis done, and release the transmitter.

It is to be noticed that the devices herein described are mechanicalcircuit closers or press-circuits of printing-telegraphs, for thepurpose herein described, has already been patented to me, and does nottherefore form any part of the present invention.

What is claimed as new is 1. In combination, in a printing-telegraph,

.a press circuit, a circuit closing key, a mechanical lock arranged tohold the circuit closed independently of the operator, and anelectro-magnet connected with the circuit and operating to open saidlock and interrupt the press-current when the printing has beeneffected.

2. In combination, in a printing-telegraph, a press circuit, a circuitclosing key, a mechanical lock connected with said key and arranged toclose and hold the circuit closed independently of the operator, and anelectromagnet connected with the circuit and arranged to disconnect saidlock whenthe printing has been effected.

3. In combination with a press-circuit of a printing-telegraph, atransmitter for sending out type-currents, a mechanical lock operated bythe keys of a key-board and arranged to arrest the transmitter and holdit independently of said keys while the press-currents are being sentout, and an electro-magnet connected with the press-circuits andarranged to open said lock andrelease the transmitter.

CLARENCE L. HEALY.

Witnesses:

RoBT. F. GAYLORD, DANIEL H. DRISOOLL.

